Stars: Léa Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Clotilde Mollet
Storyline
In the early 1900s, in the French provinces. Célestine a beautiful and libertarian young woman, who has been hired as a chambermaid by the Lanlaires, arrives from Paris at the train station. Joseph, her masters' gruff gardener takes her to the house where she is to work. She is "welcomed" by Mr. Lanlaire who immediately starts fondling her. She then meets Mrs. Lanlaire, a very unpleasant woman with a class superiority. All this bodes ill for the future...
Cast: Léa Seydoux -
Célestine
Vincent Lindon -
Joseph
Clotilde Mollet -
Madame Lanlaire
Hervé Pierre -
Monsieur Lanlaire
Mélodie Valemberg -
Marianne
Patrick d'Assumçao -
Le capitaine
Vincent Lacoste -
Georges
Joséphine Derenne -
La grand-mère de Georges
Dominique Reymond -
La placeuse
Rosette -
Rose
Adriana Asti -
Elvira Parsi, la maquerelle
Aurélia Petit -
La maîtresse (train)
Jean-Louis Croquet -
Le maître (train)
Alain Eloy -
Le douanier
Yvette Petit -
Madame Gouin, la mercière
The third version of Octave Mirbeau's novel and by far the
weakest.Marion Cotillard was to play Célestine but she was eventually
replaced by Léa Seydoux, whose inexpressive looks and listless acting
do not help;and anyway she is no match for Jeanne Moreau ,the best
Celestine ever,even though Luis Bunuel's story underwent some changes -
when the master tackles a novel ,he integrates his obsessions ,and he
makes it his own.
The movie suffers ,not only from Seydoux's monotonous portrayal,but
also from a terribly desultory script (both Renoir's and Bunuel's
efforts had firm screenplays.)
Let's put it straight:I did not expect much from a third version but I
did watch it because Vincent Lindon is in it;unfortunately his part is
reduced to a sex machine and he is not given a single chance to show
his skills ;in Bunuel's version,Georges Géret made all his scenes count
.
The cinematography is fine and the last pictures rather tasteful,but
the movie will be quickly forgotten.
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